Wesley Corpus

Chapter V Naaman hears of Elisha, ver. 1 - 4. The king of Syria sends him to the king of Israel, ver. 5 - 7. He goes to Elisha and is healed, ver. 8 - 14. His grateful acknowledgment to Elisha, ver. 15 - 19. Gehazi follows him, and receives gifts from him, ver. 20 - 24. The leprosy of Naaman entailed on Gehazi's family, ver. 25 - 27. Go to, &c. - It was very natural for a king to suppose, that the king of Israel could do more than any of his subjects. Elisha sent - Which he did, partly, to exercise Naaman's faith and obedience: partly, for the honour of his religion, that it might appear he sought not his own glory and profit, but only God's honour, and the good of men. Was wroth - Supposing himself despised by the prophet. Are not, &c. - Is there not as great a virtue in them to this purpose But he should have considered, that the cure was not to be wrought by the water, but by the power of God. My father - Or, our father. So they call him, to shew their reverence and affection to him. He refused - Not that he thought it unlawful to receive presents, which he did receive from others, but because of the special circumstances of the case; this being much for the honour of God that the Syrians should see the generous piety, and kindness of his ministers and servants, and how much they despised all that worldly wealth and glory, which the prophets of the Gentiles so greedily sought after. Two mules burden of earth - So he seems to farm the money which he brought with him, to express how little value he now set upon it. Ten talents (above three thousand five hundred pounds) in silver, with six thousand pieces of gold, (beside ten changes of raiment) were a burden for several mules. Shall I not give this to thy servant, Gehazi, if thou thyself will accept of nothing This seems a more probable interpretation than the common one, that he wanted to build an altar therewith. For what altar could be built of the earth which two mules could carry into Syria Unless they were as large and as strong as Elephants.